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Whipping Egg Whites

Egg whites can be daunting, but once you get the technique down it will be so easy to whip up any recipe! All you need to do is follow a few simple steps:

Make sure you are using a clean, dry stainless steel or copper bowl. (Egg whites will not whip if there is oil present. Due to this, egg whites will never whip in plastic bowls)

Separate your egg whites from your yolks – making sure to not have any yolks end up in the whites. (If anything gets into the whites, they will not whip)

Using a stand mixer or electric mixers whip the egg whites starting on low, and making your way to medium speed until your desired stiffness:

Soft peaks: This is when small peaks start to form when the beaters are pulled out. The tips of the peaks will still start to fall over at this stage. If you are making a dessert with sugar, such as meringues, this is the stage at which you will be adding the sugar. (one to two tablespoons at a time to ensure you keep the volume of the egg whites)

Stiff peaks: These should be smooth and shiny with the peaks do not fall when the beaters are pulled out. To fully test this, slowly tilt the bowl sideways. If the egg whites do not move as you tilt the bowl – even upside down, similar to the Dairy Queen Blizzard test – your egg whites are done.

When mixing into another mixture, ensure you fold in the egg whites to prevent losing all of the fluffiness and air you just incorporated into them. Always add the egg whites to the denser mixture, NOT the other way around.(To do this, run a spatula down the middle of the mixture, then work your way around the edge of the bowl pulling the mixture from the bottom of the bowl on top of the egg whites. Repeat this process, making your way around the bowl until the egg whites are incorporated.)